Where access to or within a structure or an area is restricted
because of secured openings or where immediate access is necessary
for life-saving or fire-fighting purposes, including but not limited
to commercial and industrial structures, multifamily residential structures
that have restricted access through a locked door or have a common
corridor for access to the living units, governmental structures,
healthcare facilities and schools and churches, shall be equipped
with a key lock box at or near the main entrance or in such other
location approved by the fire code official or designee. Multiple
lock boxes may be required, at the discretion of the fire code official
or designee. This provision shall not apply to single-family residential
dwellings. An approved lock shall be installed on gates or similar
barriers where required by the fire code official.
The owner of each structure constructed after the effective
date of this article and subject to this article shall have a key
lock box installed and operational prior to the issuance of an occupancy
permit. The owner of each structure in existence on the effective
date of this article and subject to the requirement of this article
shall have one year from the effective date of this article to have
a key lock box installed and operational. The operator of the building
shall immediately notify the fire code official and provide the new
key where a lock is changed or rekeyed, or any other information has
changed which would require information contained within the box to
be considered invalid.
The key lock box shall be an Underwriters Laboratory type and
be compatible with an existing rapid entry key box system in use in
the jurisdiction. The key lock box shall be equipped with a lock,
which can be opened only with a key that is issued to the Township's
emergency services or approved designees. Emergency vehicles shall
each be equipped with one key that is held in a special security device.
The owner of the structure is prohibited from obtaining or otherwise
possessing a key to open the lock box.
The key lock box shall be mounted on the structure entrance
at a height of five to six feet and within three feet thereof or such
other location approved by the fire code official. Flush-mounted or
recessed key lock box installations shall be permitted, provided that
the key lock box is clearly marked. Once the key lock box is installed,
the owner of the structure shall contact the official during regular
office hours to arrange for the inspection of the key lock box and
install the access keys and any other items required by this article.
The key lock box shall contain keys to all locked entrances/rooms
whether on the interior or exterior of the structure, contact information,
site plans or other approved items. If any of the contents of the
key lock box must be removed or anything is to be added thereto, arrangements
shall be made to open the key lock box, inspect the items to be added
to or removed, and then lock the box.